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Mario Carvajal, 38, works for Slab Cinema, a local business that supplies most of the equipment powering many of the outdoor venues. Founded in the 2004, the company has grown from two screenings a week to five, for a total of about 80 screenings each summer.

“San Antonio has a deep sense of community, and we tap into that,” Carvajal said. “When folks come out to an outdoor (screening), they aren’t just seeing a film — they’re taking part in a communal experience with their family.”

Many of the outdoor movie venues show family-friendly films, some of them released in theaters in the past few years. Others are tied to a theme or event.

Sylvia Rincon, a Southside ISD representative, helped organize a series of free movie nights shown on the big screen at Southside High School’s stadium. Rincon said these outdoor screenings give viewers a chance to interact with the films. At the final movie night of the summer on July 2, a showing of the 1978 classic “Grease,” visitors were encouraged to bring their classic cars, dance and sing along with the film.

“To see the faces of these families as they watch a movie outside, (it) isn’t just nostalgic of the old ‘drive-in’ movie experience,” Rincon said in an email. “It’s heartwarming, because you can tell they are truly enjoying … the great art of cinema.”

Each event, which offers free popcorn and hot dogs from local vendors, drew between 250 and 400 moviegoers. Each family attending was given a free book to promote reading habits.

Marco Esquivel, 55, took in a June 25 showing of “Paddington” with his two grandkids, Isabel and Irene Ruiz, at the Southside stadium.

“It’s free, so that’s a plus,” Esquivel laughed. “I don’t really spend much time … even watching the movie. I just like to see the (grandkids) having fun, running around.”

“It’s getting harder for me to entertain them,” he added. “But this is … still something fun that we can do as a family.”

The Cycle-in Cinema, featured by the Southside Reporter in 2014, uses a cycle-connected generator to power the projector showing the films. Visitors of all types are welcome, but the crowd typically features a large contingent of bikers who migrate to Main Plaza just before dusk.

Arthur “Red” Robinson, 71, attended a June 25 showing of “Teen Wolf” along with longtime friend Sharon Applebaum, 39. The pair, both from King William, met during an Austin triathalon and bike together to each showing.

“I don’t always like the movies,” Robinson said, “but I like the exercise. The (company’s) not too bad, either.”

“They really make an effort to show retro movies here,” Applebaum added. “It’s nice … you can pretty much go wherever you want in the city, and see whatever you want … outdoors, without having to pay for a ticket.”

Many of the outdoor movie venues

Seeing movies outside might seem like a hassle for some — with bugs and the hum of the city and crowd droning over the film — but Carvajal said the films are just one part of the draw.